Natural hazards · Laureldale

Laureldale, PA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Laureldale comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 2 claims here since 1978. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 · OpenFEMA claims, aid & declarations

Expected damage

How exposed is Laureldale?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Laureldale to be higher than in 16% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding49%Cold waves12%Hurricanes8%Tornadoes8%Heat waves7%Strong wind6%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Laureldale faces

Each hazard’s share of the damage FEMA expects here, and how that compares with the rest of the country.

Inland flooding

49% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 28% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Cold waves

12% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 26% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Hurricanes

8% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 78% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 17 years in the area

Tornadoes

8% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 52% of U.S. places

Heat waves

7% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 15% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Strong wind

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 67% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity

Flood risk changes street by street. Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.

Flood insurance claims

Does Laureldale flood?

Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Laureldale, from FEMA’s records.

2paid claims since 1978

$3Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19782026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Laureldale isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Berks County.

Disasters that hit Laureldale

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Laureldale itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the Borough of Laureldale.

Brought FEMA money into LaureldaleDeclared for Berks County only

2011

Tropical Storm Lee

1 household applied for aid $5K aid approved

2006

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

2 households applied for aid $11K aid approved

Berks County has had 20 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

About these numbers

How to read this page

An average, not a forecastFEMA’s National Risk Index estimates the damage 18 kinds of natural hazards cause in a typical year, from decades of records and models. A quiet decade can follow a bad year.

Compared by rate“Higher than N%” compares yearly damage as a share of what’s here, so a big city isn’t rated riskier just for having more buildings. Laureldale covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Laureldale’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Borough of Laureldale. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

FEMA’s expected losses across Laureldale total about $713K a year, counting buildings, people and crops.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025); OpenFEMA: NFIP redacted claims, multiple-loss properties, community status book and residential penetration rates, housing assistance (owners and renters), public assistance funded projects, hazard mitigation properties and disaster declarations. Census tracts: U.S. Census Bureau.